Workmen's advocate., 1887-04-30
A LONDON LETTER.
THE ENGLISH SOCIALISTS
 AND COERCION.
Always Opposed to Coercion Blend. ing of the Red and Green. Driving the English to
 Evaporation Pc.
 lice Outrages.


 demonstration held last Monday was magnificent success. The weather was bright and mild, and an enor- nous concourse of people assembled round the various platforms. The number in Hyde Park may, with out exaggeration, be roughly stated as quarter of a million. The de- monstratlon was organized by the Radical clubs and Home Rulers, with the hell of some of the Glad stonian Liberals. An invitation was given by the promoters of the demonstration to the Social Demo- cratic Federation to take part in the proceedings and was accepted by the body, special platform being set aside for the Social-Democratic speakers. And we certainly had the biggest meeting of the lot. About 10000 or 50,00O attended at our platform, and 1t is needless to say that the enthusiasm was much greater than at the other platforms. What crowd of workingmen would not sooner cheer and applaud such men as John Williams, who had only a few moments before been released on bail from the police court, Her bert Burrows, John Burns and Michael Davitt than the M. P.'s, who were the principal attraction elsewhere? The Social Democrats have from the first been consistent in opposing coercion for Ireland, no matter whether supported by a Tory or Liberal government. Michael Davitt has suffered as few men have suffered for the sake of the Irish people, and no man or woman with particle of sympathetic feeling in his or her breast can gaze unmoved on the stern though earnest features or listen unstirred to the calm thcagh impassioned tones of the man who, with only the use of his left arm, has undergone all the ter rible tortures of twelve years hard labor in British prison. But many of the Liberal M. P.'s showed their fidelity to the cause of Irish liberty by heartily supporting every coercivo measure when brought in by Mir. Gladstone, who is now so vigorously opposing coercion by the Conserva- tive party. This must not for one moment be forgotten. But to re- turn to the demonstration. The red flags of the Social Democratic Federation and the Socialist League the latter having brought their own platform-blended with the green emblems of the Irish Home Rulers. Many of the demonstrators wore both colors. What better proof could be given of the approach ing solidarity of the English and Irish workers which Davitt rejoiccd so much to see!
 While the anti-coercion agitation with regard to Ireland is going on the Tory government seems to be slowly but surely driving the Eng fish people to exasperation for an excuse to bring in Coercion Act for England. The progress of the Social-Democratlc agitation is alarm ing the dominant class, and they are eager to suppress it, if possible. If a big strike takes place strong forces of police and military are sent to overawe the strikers. Every meet. ing held by the branches of the Social Democratic Federation ill London and the provinces is guarded by numbers of police. We have at the present time a comrade, Me Gowran, in jail on a false charge of assaultlng a detective when the po- lice broke up the Walworth contln- gent after the demonstration at St, Paul's Cathedral. We have another comrade, Mclvor, under remand on a charge of melting to riot and pill laglng of shops on the Sd inst. after